Bibles and we want to look at Mark chapter 13. Kind of a companion passage to Matthew 24, we'll be going back and forth on these things. And it says, and as he went out, verse 1, of the temple, one of his disciples said unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here. And Jesus answering said unto him, seest thou these great buildings? There shall not be one stone upon another. It shall not be thrown down. And he sat upon a Mount of Olives over against the temple. Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled? And Jesus answering them began to say, take heed, lest any man deceive you, for many shall come in my name saying, I am Christ and shall deceive many. So let's go ahead and stop there for now. But we had, of course, mentioned last week about the Jews and Israel. and how that connects with the signs of the times. And I had known about this guy for quite some time that I'm about to refer to. He is part of the, or at least he may not personally identify, but he has all the marks of identifying with the Hebrew Roots movement. that basically emphasizes the law and so on and so forth, but I consider him a self-proclaimed prophet, a so-called pastor slash rabbi, calls himself a rabbi, which again, you know, those who are shepherds of God's flock are pastors, not rabbis. And but anyway, he is the leader of a group, a religious organization, Beth Israel Worship Center in Wayne, New Jersey, who is a New York Times selling author. So he has quite a bit of influence, and this is why I mention him, so that we will be aware and not be deceived, as the Book of Mark says there in our text. His name is Jonathan Cahn. I don't know if any of you have ever heard of him in his books. He's got several different books that he's written, and you may have seen him in the stores or heard about them. And he does have some interesting insights. And some truths, that's the danger. Sometimes, you know, if it's just a blatant, flat-out lie, well then everybody's just gonna stay away, right? Well, he does believe that abortion's wrong and sodomy's wrong and some of these other things. Actually supports Trump. But anyway, at least it seems to in the way that he speaks. But he's been before Congress and been on different shows and so on and so forth. But though he has some interesting insights, some truth, some are stretches, I mean really stretches, bending over backwards to try to prove a point. But they are just on art and about historical information and tied it to the Bible. But he's always promoting his books, wanting to subscribe to his channel and so forth. My question is, if he is a prophet, or those like him anyway too, if he is a prophet, why does he charge for his information? If it's so important, if it's such an emergency, do we see prophets in the Bible charging for insights into biblical truth that's a matter of life and breath and a matter of eternal life or eternal death? No, they don't. And so we see that those are things that make me wonder about him. And so we have things, he says often times, these things can't, he tries to emphasize that because He was trying to leave himself an out. They can, they may not. But correct me if I'm wrong, when prophets in the Bible spoke, it wasn't it might or it can, it will or it shall. That's the way prophets in the Bible speak. And so when he tries to cover him for himself by saying it can happen, that certain things, you know, will happen, he's killing his credibility as a prophet, automatically. So some people would say, oh that's good, you do it that way, well that just automatically tells me you're not a prophet. He reveals what really, he takes some scriptures that are well known and he uses them, but he likes to add to the scriptures, some historical data, some apocryphal data. And to his equations, like those of the Hebrew Roots Movement, as I learned last year as I was dealing with some of these very same people, they like to do to prove their point. In his latest book, for instance, his latest book is called The Dragon's Prophecy. Which I'm just like, well, if it's a dragon's prophecy, I don't want anything to do with it. But I'm sure it was probably just an attention getter, that even those who are not even saved might be interested in it. But anyway, he mentions King Jehu. And yes, there are some resemblances between King Jehu, who probably wasn't even a saved man. He just was zealous to bring judgment. and to solidify his power and so on. But anyway, he considers him as a type of Donald Trump. And that may be true. But he goes so far as he says, this is a foretelling of Donald Trump. And the way he justifies it is that he finds some ancient painting of King Jehu. And he says that kings didn't usually wear earrings. I never knew that. But anyway, here is King Jehu wearing an earring. And to have an earring, at least back then, you had to have a hole in your ear. You beginning to see where he's coming from? Donald Trump has a hole in his ear because of a bullet. And to me, it's just like really stretching things. It's just crazy. It's not even based on Bible. It's based on some piece of art that painted a picture that may or may not be a true rendition of who King Jehu was. So this kind of wild speculation is what it is. But people are eating it up and he's raking in the cash and laughing on his way to the bank. So no, after looking at that video, I didn't buy the book. But anyways, we have to be careful because of deceivers. This guy's a Jew too, and we know that, or I won't say I know, but there's indications that Messiah, or I'm sorry, the Antichrist will be a Jew. But anyway, Christ, when he is not discussing the operation of his kingdom upon earth, At this particular time, prior to his return, he's speaking of his kingdom to come in his return. And so the disciples ask him about the sign of his coming. But Jesus responds listing several kinds of qualities of that period or sign so that his people can know, as it says there in Matthew 16, 3, to be able to discern the signs of the times. So he didn't want his people to look for a single unusual work that could be faked by the enemy, but he gives us several signs to show us. And again, we have the Paul warning there in 2 Thessalonians 2, 9, even him, speaking of the Antichrist, whose coming is with all power and signs. and lying wonders. Key word there is lying wonders. Greek word is pseudos, where we get pseudo or false. falsehood. So we see that deception is going to be a big problem in the last days. And again, we don't know. We know that in Matthew 24, we had mentioned this concerning Israel, the parable of the fig tree, and that generation not passed until the coming of the son of man be. And of course, a generation is anywhere from the time that a child is born until they're able to have children or have all their children, which is in 30 to 40 years. But there's a lot of people who are trying to predict the very day or the very hour. But it says in Matthew 25, 13 very clearly. Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh." That's what we have to be sure of, that we don't fall for that. Now I'm going to try to deal with nine different signs as far as the world is concerned. And so we want to just go ahead and begin quickly to the first sign, and that is the sign of wars. In Mark 13, 7, it says, and when ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars, be not troubled, for such things must needs be, but the end shall not be yet. Apparently, there's 44 or at least conflicts globally that have called hundreds of casualties in the past year. And as far as rumors go, we see that these are reports that are heard, are speculated upon, We see China is threatening Taiwan and Hong Kong. North Korea ready to bomb South Korea. Iran and other Arab Mohammedan countries threatening to strike Israel and Arr. And I read the other day about how the leader of Colombia, it was at the UN meeting and basically declared, wanted the nation to declare war on Israel and the United States. And it's like, wow, so we have indeed those wars and rumors of wars everywhere in our land. We, of course, think of Ukraine and Russia and so many disturbances in South America and Africa that we see. But then again, we see once more in Matthew 24, verse 7, it says that nations will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom. This is really like a little less than war, if you will. It's more of the sign of conflicts. And the word nation here, for instance, the word nation is the Greek word ethnos, where we get ethnicity. Used to, in the old days, and still some today, that nations were consisted of homogeneous people groups. They were basically the same type of people. And because, you know, America is a little different. We're the melting pot. That's why we're called the melting pot. We've got people from all over the world. And that's a sign, too, that there are going to be a mingled people in the last days as well. But nonetheless, we see, what does that mean, then? that people groups are being pitted against people groups. And we know that this is a strategy to bring division, divide and conquer, right? To bring division, to bring distraction. And so we have this racial rift that's produced. And we see it's partly produced by the fact of this illegal immigration Not just illegal immigration, that's bad enough, but illegal immigration of criminals that are going to cause problems. It'd be one thing if, first of all, it was legal, and it wasn't criminals that were coming in, but actually wanting to do some good. I'm not saying everybody that comes across the border is a criminal. I'm just simply saying, in one sense, they are because they're coming in illegally, but you know what I mean. They're not all murderers, and they're all not bank robbers, and rapists, and all that kind of stuff. But there is a good portion of them, because after all, these countries want to get rid of these troublemakers. So why not give them to us so that we have to deal with them? So we have this promoting of this for the sake of distraction and division. And we have the worst of those people groups, many of them are coming. And again, if there's somebody wanting to do some good and make our country better and do what immigrants used to do back in the day, I'm all for it. But if they're going to cause trouble, no. That's insane. But we see that that is a sign of the conflicts, not only in this country, but we see it everywhere. This illegal immigration that is unprecedented and the globalists are paying money to get these people to the various different places, to weaken the nations, to make the way for a new world order. So, a sign of the times. The sign of wars, the sign of conflicts are all, and you can see it, just the fulfillment of signs happening in our nation and all over the world. But now the third sign is the sign of famines. Matthew 24, 7 mentions, and there shall be famines. They had prematurely announced that there were no more famines. In other words, a famine is basically a dearth or where hunger is a problem and people starving to death and things of that nature. But by early 2020, even before COVID-19, early 2020 there were five famines worldwide. So we see that that is something that is increasing and in fact I believe if you look at the fact where they're discouraging meat production and meat consumption that they're going to promote this kind of idea. They want us to eat bugs, right? Some say they put them in the food. Maybe that's going to be part of the next point, but I'll get to that in a minute. But they were all due, these famines, of some kind of religious or ethnic trouble, not the weather or other typical origins. So you've got the tying in of The wars and the conflicts there, all tied together. In fact, the former UN World Food Program head, David Beat, said that there's an estimated 345 million globally who are on the brink of starvation, a 156% increase from COVID-19 start and 25% from the beginning of the Ukraine-Russian war. But now, fourthly, the sign of pestilences. So we see, and there shall be famines and pestilences. Now, what is pestilence? Well, it's something very pesty for one thing, but it is a, it's really disease. There's going to be increases of disease, a plague if you will, a major disease. The world has supposedly lost over 6 million people since COVID-19 and we see that monkeypox has begun to claim lives and it's still spreading, so they say. And now they have a vaccine for it, or they're getting a vaccine for it, and so on. And of course, the increased cancers and COVID vaccination-related deaths, even of young people. And of course the processed food, what's in our food and who knows in the air and what all they could be doing that's causing this kind of pestilence that we see, eating bugs and all that other stuff. We find that there are, it is reported that there are 30 pathogens most likely to cause a pandemic. So these things, and some of them are created in labs. We find that the Chinese virus was created to, and that's why Jesus said these are the ones that are destroying the earth. Then there's reports of bubonic plague resurfacing in Africa and Asia and South and North America. Comeback of tuberculosis, polio and other diseases that they thought they had control. And we know that in some cases it's because there's been a a distrust of vaccinations, and I can understand that. And who knows what they put in them anymore these days. But partly because of those coming over the border who do not have any kind of vaccination. The good ones were these to have, I guess, for tuberculosis, for polio, and some of these others. But now, fifthly, we see the signs of earthquakes. Matthew 24, 7, again, there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places. The earthquakes, the world's number of earthquakes at a 5.0 plus on the Richter scale, those are pretty serious, have increased by 54% just from 2020. 2020 and to 2021. And the last three were of an 8.0 magnitude or higher, which was the highest since 2007. So we see these things happening as signs of the times. And then, sexually, the sign of antichrists. In Matthew 24, 5, for many shall come in my name, and our text also is saying, I am Christ and shall deceive many. It's been the Jim Jones, right, and other groups that have proclaimed themselves to be the Christ And there are, of course, those who act like they are. Or people treat them as if they are basically worshiping them. And these people who think themselves to be gods are not stopping the people in their unbiblical worship of them. And it's just amazing, but they're getting followers. And so we see that there is the sign of the anti-Christ. Open Doors 2022 World Watch List reports a record of 55 of the globe's 195 countries have the nonprofit's highest level of persecution of Christians. Virtually all of the 1020 window, geographically, are mostly greatly needing evangelism. And in all time high, 76 nations have an extreme, very high or high level of Christian persecution and discrimination, says this open doors group. And then of course we find it in Matthew 24 10, and then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another. And again, this being hated and betrayed Now, I take pastoral confidentiality serious. When somebody tells me they don't want me to say their name or mention anything, I do it to the best of my ability. I've never not done it. And I'm just saying about this extended family member I've been mentioning, it's just, not only has the state took, and the police took that family's children or their other children. That's scary stuff because they hate homeschooling, they hate Christians and all this, but that's happening in these United States way possible. And so anyways, it's here even in our country and definitely in other countries as well. But it says there in Matthew 24 10, that many, then shall many be offended and shall betray one another and shall hate one another. This is, you know, the haters, you know, that's the big thing today. Oh, you said something that I didn't like, so you hate me. I mean, come on. We have a bunch of effeminates You know, somebody says something against me, okay, well that's your opinion. Because you're not my judge. God's my judge. So I'm not going to worry about it. We can take it with a grain of salt, of course, and consider it. Okay, we should do that. But if they're wrong, I'm not going to have a major meltdown over it, by the grace of God. And then, of course, there are those who know they're not really offended. They just want some moolah, right? They want some money out of the deal. And so they're going to falsely accuse. They just want to get some attention and to get back at that person because I hate Christians, I hate Christ. And it's like it says there in 1 Timothy 4, 2, speaking of the Latter Days, speaking lies and hypocrisy. You know, they're acting like they're really hurt, but they're not really hurt. They just want the money. Having their conscience seared, it is a calloused with a hot iron. But now the eighth sign, of Christ's return, sign of the times and things to come, the sign of falling away. 2 Thessalonians 2 verse 3 says, let no man deceive you by any means for that day, speaking of the day of Christ, shall not come except there come a falling away first. And that man of sin be revealed, the son of Perdition." Speaking of the Antichrist. So the way for the Antichrist shall be prepared by the falling away from the truth. And don't we see that? People leaving in droves. Churches. Not only in this country, but all over the world. And Mormons and people like that, who don't believe in the deity of Christ, are basically saying, it doesn't matter. They're denying the deity of Christ. That's why I could never support other Baptists. But anyway, churches are more interested in individual Christians, or at least so-called Christians anyway, are more concerned about whether they're accepted or not than being faithful to Christ. And yes, we don't want to be unnecessarily abrasive, but we have to stand for the truth and yes, speak the truth in love. But again, there's so many that just, well, they're pigs that I'm not supposed to cast a curl before. Well, maybe so, but make sure that's the case. And then, of course, there is the whole idea of the other extreme, and that is legalism, like in the Hebrew Roots Movement, that emphasizes the law. And of course, even these other apocryphal books that are not inspired of God. But it goes on to say in Matthew 24 11, and many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many, and because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. Falling away means that even God's people Our love can grow cold. That's going to be the typical nature of the last days. And because iniquity shall abound. It does have an effect, who we hang around. And sometimes you don't have a choice on who you hang around when you're at work, or going to the grocery store, or whatever the case might be. or if you're in prison, you know, for that matter, because of standing up for Christ. But nonetheless, it's a total disregard for spirituality and statutes. And like I say many times, I can tell open air preaching is such an indifference. People don't care. about it. They don't even care that things are going the way, and they know things are going crazy, but, you know, we've got to get serious about these things, but it's a sign of the times. Many of those who were once thought of as conservative preachers have abandoned the faith maybe altogether, or the principles, conservative principles, such as, what's that guy's name, that Scottish guy, Alistair Begg, you know, he said to go ahead and give a gift to a sodomite couple. You know, I just thought, why would you do that? You know, he's a guy who believes in sovereign grace and everything like that over there in Cleveland, Ohio. And it's just mind boggling. But Andy Stanley, the son of Charles Stanley, has gone off the deep end. I've mentioned before. Others, such as John Piper, inviting Rick Warren, who did the Purpose-Filled Life, and how just no mention of sin and repentance and so forth in that book. But George Barna, for Arizona Christian University, indicated lowest ever, 63% of Americans claim to be Christian. Only 24% of those practice the faith at least minimally by, for example, attending an online or in-person service once a month or more. Just 24%. Just 5% of professing Christians have a biblical worldview. And again, there is just this spirit of lawlessness, iniquity abounding. and all this immigration illegally into all these different countries. Not to mention the trafficking of children and many other things that we see in our land today in terms of sodomy and abortion and so forth. But now, nicely and lastly, the sign of evangelism. Now that's like, well wait a minute, I thought it, these have all been bad signs. Here's a good sign. Here's a good sign. And that is in Matthew 24, 14. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations and then shall the end come. Now the Greek of this verse indicates good news is proclaimed across the globe as a whole, as an evidence of the Christ's sovereignty. We see that that, of course, has happened, and we see that the world's population has at least some scripture published in it. And of course there are those who provide audiotapes of the Bible and so on and so forth who don't have printed translations. So, all the signs, we see them already happening, or we see the evidence of it happening, we don't know whether that, to what point. how intense and how much of those signs have to be fulfilled before Christ returns, we see that. Most evangelical Christians believe that there's going to be a rapture and after that the tribulation will come at the time of Christ's first phase of his second coming. Revelation 3.10 indicates, because thou hast kept the word of my patience. Again, we're talking about this is a church age, it's speaking of in the second and third chapters. I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth. What else could that be but the great tribulation? So, in terms of the evangelism, I started thinking about that. You know, the United States has fewer attended church per capita than many of the third world countries in the world today. We need to be ready for Christ's return, and part of being ready, and I'm kind of going into the next message, but involves loving our neighbors by telling them the gospel. You know, if we withhold it, we're not loving them. We're telling them good news that will be, hopefully, a benefit to their soul. Well, they certainly won't know it because, I'm telling you, there's a lot of people who may call themselves Christians, may go to a church, but they don't know what the gospel is. They understand the whole concept of grace alone. So they are in many ways not reached. So there's not as many as we might imagine that have heard the gospel in truth even in our country. And I'd say even fewer have seen the gospel in truth in the way that professing Christians live in distinction from the world. And of course, Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3, 2, Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men. Our lives are known and read of others. So may God help us to take comfort in the signs and wisely use that knowledge. to respond appropriately in love to our Lord Jesus Christ and crying out to Him, Lord help me, help me, that I would be faithful to the end. Thank you for your attention to the Word of God.